After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage By Cassila K

Chapter 36

Joseph and I started dating, but our demanding jobs meant we rarely had time to see each other.

Most of our encounters took place in war-torn regions-he'd be rushing to treat the wounded, while I'd be in the operating room, fighting to save lives.

A fleeting touch as we brushed past each other was often the only connection we shared.

The patchy network signal didn't help either. Days would pass without hearing from each other, but then, out of nowhere, my phone would buzz nonstop as messages flooded in. They were disorganized, chaotic, as if they too had braved gunfire and destruction, but they carried the weight of longing and steadfast affection.

The situation in North Kivu grew increasingly dire.

Our first argument happened on the day a village near Goma was attacked.

When we arrived, the armed militants hadn't fully retreated, and the security forces were still exchanging fire with them.

We rushed back to the vehicle, preparing to evacuate, but Joseph suddenly jumped out of the ambulance.

There, at the edge of the battlefield, lay a collapsed villager.

Joseph hoisted the man onto his back and carried him to safety, his own body cut and bleeding from shrapnel.

I was furious and terrified, yelling at him, "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

But he stood his ground. "I'm a doctor! I couldn't just leave him there! His leg was injured, but he could've survived. If I didn't save him, he would've died for sure!"

I knew he was right, and I knew it was his duty to save lives.

when he returned covered in blood-so much blood I couldn't tell which was his and which wasn't-my composure

examination and realizing his injuries were only superficial, I broke down,

lose anyone else! If something happened to you, what would I

moment before wrapping his arms around me, his voice

be more careful. I won't put myself in danger, and I won't

in his

pinky swear," he said,

it will turn into a

laugh through my tears.

introduce you

boyfriend?" he

dead. Panicked, I quickly pulled the

seemed to say: See? I'm

glared at him until my eyes stung and blurred with

I realized how precious every single

chaos of war escalated, the Ebola virus began

shortage of medical staff, he shuttled back and forth between

several cities. Many doctors were forced to abandon their posts and

other hand, nearly a hundred patients remained in the center.

doctors decided to stay and adapt to

occupied the outskirts of Goma, cutting

a message, asking me to come to the

cleared out, I saw a group of Hutu children—over ten of them. They had escaped from the mountains, the oldest no more